loses his private fortune.

way shares. On January 21st it is stated that Mr. Cobden "the loss will be repaired to this useful servant of the public, in a manner at once splendid, delicate, and prompt. In a few days, if we are rightly told, names have been put down for forty thousand pounds-in sums from five hundred to five thousand each. The friendliness thus expressed is a most noble tribute to public virtue and public service."

M. Brisbane.

A long obituary notice is given on the 4th of February of Sir Thomas M. Brisbane, who had Sir Thomas died on the 28th of January: "Science has lost one of her warmest and most generous patrons; for although a great portion of his life was spent amidst camps, at a period, too, when military life left little leisure for more peaceful pursuits, we find Sir Thomas availing himself of every opportunity to cultivate science, and more particularly astronomy. Born at Brisbane, in 1773, he entered the army in 1789, fought in the first battle of the war in May, 1793, and in the subsequent actions under H.R.H. the Duke of York. He went to the West Indies in 1796, and was present at the taking of all the islands under Sir Ralph Abercromby. In 1812, he joined the army in the Peninsula, and renewed his acquaintance with the Duke of Wellington, whom he had known in Ireland when the Duke was lieutenant in a cavalry regiment."

Governor of

Paramatta.

Appointed Sir T. Brisbane's appointment as Governor New South of New South Wales "was very beneficial. Wales. Besides performing his government duties he Erects an erected an observatory at Paramatta, and supobservatory atplied it with books, first-rate instruments, and two assistants from Europe, all at his own expense. He knew that no observations of the stars in the Southern Hemisphere had been made since 1751-2,-when Lacaille made a very valuable series of observations at the Cape of Good Hope, and that a wide field was opened before him at Sydney for the labours of the astronomer." On his "return to Scotland in 1826, he founded his celebrated astronomical observaFounds an tory at Makerstoun, and in 1841 he erected observatory at Makerstoun. another observatory at the same place, for the

purpose of making magnetical observations. The instruments supplied to both observatories were of the best and most costly nature. The sum paid for the clocks alone, in the magnetical observatory, was 1,200 guineas. The work done has been excellent. From 1841 to 1846, magnetical and meteorological observations were made. every alternate hour, except in 1844 and 1845, when they were made every hour, day and night. Since 1846, nine observations were made daily. The results have been published, and the Makerstoun Observatory has justly acquired the reputation of being one of the best magnetical

Walter Scott

Society of

Edinburgh.

and meteorological establishments in Scotland. ......In 1832 he succeeded Sir Walter Scott in Succeeds Sir the presidential chair of the Royal Society of at the Royal Edinburgh, and retained that office during the rest of his life. During his presidency he founded two gold medals to be given annually as the reward of scientific merit, one by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the other by the Society of Arts. The first of the former was presented last year to Sir Thomas's fellow-countryman and fellow-soldier, Sir R. Murchison."

Mrs. Jameson's death, which took place on the Mrs. Jameson. 17th of March, is recorded on the 24th. Her first work, 'The Diary of an Ennuyée,' appeared about the year 1826. "The reception of the book was decisive.-It was followed, at intervals, by 'The Loves of the Poets,' 'The Lives of Female Sovereigns,' ' Characteristics of Women' (a series of Shakspeare studies; possibly its writer's most popular book)...... Besides a volume or two of collected essays, thoughts, notes on books, and on subjects of Art, we have left to mention the elaborate volumes on Legendary Art,' as the greatest literary labour of a busy life. Mrs. Jameson was putting the last finish to the concluding portion of her work, when she was bidden to cease for ever. We understand, however, that it is ready for publication."

'Sacred and

'Sacred and Legendary Art.'

General

'Memoirs of In the review of Memoirs of Major-General Havelock,' by Sir Henry Havelock,' by John Clark Marshman, John Clark on the 21st of April, reference is made to the Marshman. mutual esteem and unbroken friendship between Outram and Havelock: "The expression of that friendship ceased only when, as Sir James came to visit his dying comrade, the last farewell was said, and Havelock with his last words exclaimed, 'I have for forty years so ruled my life that when death came I might face it without fear.'"

Death of Lady Byron.

The death of Lady Byron is announced on the 19th of May: "Ada and her mother, as well as the great poet, are now all 'gone the way of the roses,' leaving behind them, to be told and re-told for ever, one of the most gloomy and brilliant tales ever written in the life of a man of genius."

The light-hearted and thoroughly warmAlbert Smith. hearted Albert Smith died, after a short illness, on Wednesday, the 23rd of May, within twenty-four hours of completing his forty-fourth year. On the previous Friday he had walked from his residence at Fulham into town, and on the Saturday he appeared at the Egyptian Hall as usual in his entertainment, 'Mont Blanc.'' Mont Blanc.' This entertainment was first produced on the 15th of March, 1852, and for six years he continued the performance of this "novelty," which seemed as novel in 1858 as in

1852. The Athenæum on May 26th, in the obituary notice of him, states that Albert Smith's "visit to China, however, successful though it was, must be described as only an interlude. The Chinese entertainment was withdrawn a few weeks since to make way for the old, everfresh, ever-fascinating 'Mont Blanc."" "His claims as a versatile, agreeable, and imaginative His writings. writer were far from inconsiderable, and some of his novels will not soon pass out of circulation. At the same time it must be allowed that his great popularity was achieved on the summits of Mont Blanc, where he dug up a treasure of fun from under the snow. He was liked because, in an original style, and with exhaustless vivacity, he sang and chatted of the mountains, of the people on the mountains, of the people not on the mountains, of the way from the mountains to China. His works were well received, but his entertainments were the rage; and it is satisfactory to know that they enabled him to amass a competent fortune...... Though he lived by his talents (at the outset precariously), he was never to be heard of as in debt or under obligation; and from the time when he began to gather his harvest, his liberality was as great as his prudence had been wise. Among his own people, he was invaluable,—good, in every sense of the word, and without parade or